In the 1940s, this venue was named The Paradise Theater and was a top venue for African American performers. Originally built in 1919 to house the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, when the hall was turned into the Paradise it attracted jazz greats Duke Ellington and Billie Holiday, as well as comedians like Moms Mabley and Redd Foxx. Today, the building is called the Detroit Orchestra Hall, but the Paradise Theater legacy is preserved through the “Paradise Jazz Series."